Welcome to “This Week in Comics”! Looking for a new comic book to pick up this week? Here’s your guide to what’s coming out at your local comic shop (or available for digital purchase) this week (January 28th, 2026). Each week, we’ll focus on at least one of each of the following: The latest issue of an ongoing series that’s worth highlighting, a new issue #1 (a great starting point!) for an ongoing or mini-series , a stand alone (one-shot) comic, and sometimes even a comic available in the digital backlog available on Marvel Unlimited, DC Infinite or Comixology Unlimited!
Highlight of the Week (Ongoing Comic, DC):
ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #16: “A NEW STORY ARC BEGINS AS DIANA CONFRONTS ZATANNA! The Season of the Witch arc begins here! After her exploits in the Area 41 maze, Diana has resolved to not let her personal mission overwhelm the one she was sent to the surface world to fulfill. But a new threat has emerged in Gateway City, and it turns out the best thing to send to kill Wonder Woman is… another witch! Zatanna is here, and Diana’s life will never be the same!”
Arguably the best of the “Absolute” line of comics, Issue #16 is the start of a brand new story arc, with this one introducing “Absolute Zatanna!” Writer Kelly Thompson is knocking it out of the park with this series, so get on board and see what all the fuss is about!
Highlight of the week (Ongoing Comic, Marvel):
INFERNAL HULK #3: “What happened to Bruce Banner in that cave? As the monsters’ war on humanity rages across land and sea, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross have finally found their life of quiet normalcy, free from their past and the threat of the Infernal Hulk… or so they think. Is Banner really free? How long can they hide as the world burns down… and what happens when their nightmares find them? Guest-starring IRON MAN, the fate of Bruce Banner is revealed in this pivotal issue!”
Hulk has been a horror comic (of different sorts) since 2018. Whereas Al Ewing focused on “body horror/science fiction”, Phillip Kennedy Johnson has mastered turning this into a supernatural horror book. It’s only 3 issues, and there’s a new version of the Hulk on the loose (this one is “Infernal”). Worth a look if you’re into horror comics!
New Issue #1 (Ongoing Series):
IRON MAN #1: “The unapologetic Iron Man is a once-in-a-lifetime hero — but the beating heart behind the armor is a once-in-a-century genius. Years ago, Tony Stark was knocking on death’s door, so he created the Iron Man armor to survive! What happens the next time death comes calling? What weapon does he create then? What if… someone else creates it first? These questions have haunted Tony for years, a ticking time bomb inside of him waiting to explode. Femme fatale Madame Masque has also asked these questions, and with the power of Advanced Idea Mechanics behind her… she’s ready to create the next great weapon.
Welcome superstar JOSHUA WILLIAMSON as he makes his powerful return to the hallowed halls of Marvel, taking the reins of the Golden Avenger with Legacy Stormbreaker CARMEN CARNERO! This is classic super-hero storytelling in the MIGHTY MARVEL MANNER, just how you like it!”
Iron Man is definitely in need of a relaunch/refresh, and you can’t go wrong with Joshua Willamson writing! Here’s the hoping this is setting up for something big!
SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS #1: “EMBRACE YOUR FEAR… THE SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS DRAWS NEAR! From the darkest recesses within acclaimed cartoonist Nick Cagnetti (Pink Lemonade, XINO) and co-creator Daniel Ziegler (Elodie) comes the most visually stunning, outrageously otherworldly, and hauntingly heartfelt superhero-horror hit of 2026!
Once, Erik Leroux was a mortal musician, selflessly devoted to his music and his true love, Katrina… until his sudden death plunged his soul into the carnival-like torments of the Spirit World beyond our own. Now, reborn as a phantom with fleeting memories of his life among the living, and forever cursed to bear the arcane costume his corpse wore to the grave, Erik will claw his way back from the infernal planes to uncover the mysteries of his own life… and avenge the dark sins that transformed him into the SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS!”
“Spirit of the Shadows” is the new ongoing title from Oni Press, and it’s another “must” for supernatural lovers, though this time it’s artwork that looks inspired by the legendary Mike Allred (and that’s a good thing)! It’s unique and different, and definitely worth picking up!
Stand-alone Story:
DC’S SUPERGIRL NEXT DOOR #1: “SHE’S A SMALL TOWN GIRL IN A SUPER-POWERED WORLD… AND SHE’S LOOKING FOR LOVE! There’s something about Kara. She’s effortlessly cool, adored by all, and looks great in a cape — she’s truly all that! She could have fifty first dates lined up in a minute, but love actually wasn’t on her radar… until now! In this hot new anthology, join Supergirl and a host of lovestruck heroes and villains as they bravely embark on quests for love, even if it means running through every rom-com trope to get there. You’d be hard pressed to find ten things to hate about this book, so pick it up this Valentine’s Day — and place it on the shelf next to all the books you’ve loved before!”
Can you sense that this is Supergirls big year? It’s almost like she’s got a movie coming out soon, or something. Anyway, this is a stand-alone “Valentine’s Day” anthology issue featuring stories by several different writers and artists, and it just looks delightful. Supergirl always provides a welcome change of pace from the more “traditional” Superman comics, so give this one a glance!
Digital Back Issue of the Week:
WHAT IF? (1977)#24: “What if Gwen Stacy had not only lived, but had also learned Spider-Man’s secret identity? Peter and Gwen, united in holy matrimony! But how long can this newfound peace last? If J. Jonah Jameson has any say in the matter…not long at all!”
Before DC’s “Absolute” line of comics, before Marvel’s “Ultimate” Universe, before DC’s “Elseworlds”, before all of that….there was Marvel’s “What If?” The series was great for exploring different endings to classic Marvel storylines, and this one here is a doozy! “What if Spider-Man had Rescued Gwen Stacy?” What could go wrong?!? This one is available on “Marvel Unlimited”, so check it out if you have a Subscription!
So what are you reading this week?!?
